Digitally Uploaded: Recent Episodes
DigitallyDownloaded.net
Your #1 destination for discussions on Japanese games and culture; the companion podcast to www.digitallydownloaded.net. Thanks for listening!
Let's jump right into it: This month's releases include Hollow Knight: Silksong, Silent Hill F, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Evilist Chronicles, Frostpunk 2, Trails of the Sky remake, Hotel Barcelona (Suda51 x Swery), and many more indie and triple-A titles. Good luck working through all of that. This is going to be a month for adding to the backlog.
Then we chat through the Metal Gear and Resident Evil franchises, share thoughts on quirky indie titles (like Shinju Jinko and Survival Kids), and more.
Enjoy, and thank you as always for tuning in!
This month we discuss a massive wave of censorship that is affecting the entire games industry and even forcing us to re-write chunks of our own game, The Last Waltz.
Then we go on to discuss older games - particularly JRPGs - and some of the mechanics that we're glad have been left behind. As much as we love the aesthetics and classic quality of these games... we are also glad that some mechanics have been left for the retro compilations now.
Finally, we talk about all the games releasing in August. It's a relatively quiet month, but that doesn't mean there aren't things coming up to pay attention to!
2025 has been an exceptional year for releases, almost from the first day of January. Now that we're halfway through the year, we use this podcast to remind you all of some of the big hits of the year - don't forget to check them out if you haven't yet!
We also have a chat about games that feel good to play - this is not the same as great games, but rather, those that have a kind of "X-factor" where the controller just feels good in the hand (can you tell we're playing quite a bit of Death Stranding 2 right now?).
And of course, we talk about everything coming in July. If you're a fan of retro, this is going to be a particularly good month for you!
Have a great month playing lots of great games, everyone.
It's finally here! The sequel to the best console of all time! In this podcast, Trent and Matt chat through the Switch 2, and why we think it's a more than adequate follow-up to an amazing console.
We also chat through the games of June (and thanks to a console launch, there are a lot of those!), before taking a look at the ongoing role of AI in games. That's a less pleasant conversation, but a critically important one.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and all those Switch 2 early adopters, let us know what you think!
In this episode, we dig deep into the all-time classic, iconic Mario Kart series. We chat about where we all started with the series, what our personal favourites are, and what we think of an open world, Forza Horizon style take on the formula.
From there, we talk about games that surprised us. Titles that we almost didn't play, gave it a crack for the hell of it, and then discovered that we loved it. Games as broad as NieR and Atelier Rorona, Star Ocean and Beyond Eyes.
We also, of course, chat about all the titles releasing in the coming month. It's going to be a good one.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and happy gaming!
What do Mario 64 and Wingspan have in common? Both are games that we turn to when we need to give our minds a break and relax through stress, anxiety and the like.
What does Metroid and Rhythm Heaven have in common? They're among the last games that Nintendo will publish on the Nintendo Switch. We chat about what will likely be the last Nintendo Direct for one of the greatest consoles of all time.
And, naturally, we chat through the games of April. Plenty coming there to look forward to!
Welcome to the March edition of the Digitally Uploaded podcast! In this episode we dive deep into Xenoblade Chronicles X, now that it's finally being rescued from Wii U exclusivity.
We also chat about music, with one of the music team from our very own upcoming visual novel, The Last Waltz, joining to talk about the experience.
And of course we talk through all the big games releasing in March - there's more than just Xenoblade Chronicles X!
Many thanks for tuning in and we'll see you next month!
It's our first episode of 2025, and we're rolling January and February together, as the team is busy with lifestyle activities like getting married.
For this first episode, we run through the intimidatingly big release line-up for February, and then talk in-depth about the Switch 2 - what we saw from the big reveal teaser and what we hope to see as Nintendo ramps up to the big release.
Here's to a big and exciting 2025 for video games! It certainly looks like we're set for a big year.
Join us in the final episode of the Digitally Uploaded podcast for the year as we look back at the games that were in 2024, and what we're looking forward to the most in 2025.
Overall 2024 has been a really good year for releases. So much so, in fact, that so many of the really good games have already (tragically) faded into obscurity. So we dust off a couple of those to recommend you look back at before the year is out.
Then we look at what's coming in 2025. Some big blockbusters, of course, but there's also a bunch of smaller stuff on the horizon that we're already excited for.
Have a very happy holidays and Merry Christmas, everyone, and thank you as always for being such an awesome audience. We will see you all again in the New Year!
After ten years there's finally a new Dragon Age game. Unfortunately, it's also one of the biggest disappointments of the year. So we dig into that a bit, looking at where things went to wrong and what the game really should have been.
We also look at the newly-released Nintendo Music app, and all the promise it holds. Is it just the start of bigger things to come? We think so...
And of course we discuss all the big games releasing in November. There's plenty to look forward to!
It's the spooky time of year again, and of course all the developers and publishers have been rushing out their horror games. There's some good ones, too, and this month we chat a bit about what makes a good horror game in our view.
We also talk about all the other games that are releasing in October - there are a lot of them! Games to suit every taste, no less!
And then finally we also take some time to talk about our own visual novel project: The Last Waltz. After working on it for more than two years now, we are enormously excited with how it's coming together.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and enjoy the games!
Lollipop Chainsaw is back! Lollipop Chainsaw is back! FINALLY!
We're very excited about the imminent re-release of the game with the cheerleader, her mini-skirt, and all them zombies to slay. But we're also very interested to see if the discourse behind this game has changed in any way, because it was once a very controversial title indeed.
Elsewhere on the podcast we also discuss the inglorious fate of Concord and the seemingly inevitable decline of live service games. The market is demonstrating that it has firmly met its saturation point and it is almost certainly a case of diminishing returns for anyone that tries to do another one now.
And of course, we talk through all the games releasing for the rest of September. There's A LOT.
Who doesn't love their Switch? It is arguably the finest console of all time (though the arguments you can make in favour of it are very compelling), and this week we dig into some of our most played games of all time.
Given that it's the 2024 Olympic Games, we also talk about sports, and the kinds of sports games we like to see. As it turns out, there is a point where "realism" in sports games can be to its detriment.
And finally we chat about all the game releases in August. It's not the biggest month of the year, but there's some real gems in there that you won't want to miss.
Welcome to the July episode of the Digitally Uploaded podcast!
This month, we kick off discussing all the big games in July, highlighting anticipated titles like Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail, Battle Cats Unite, and The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak. We also discuss niche titles and ports like Spin Rhythm XD, Princess Maker 2 Regeneration, and Earth Defense Force 6.
From there, we explore the newly released Nintendo 64 Mature App, which currently includes the two classics Perfect Dark and Turok. Two games doesn't make much of a compilation, so we discuss some of the other games that we hope to see on there, including Turok 2, Conker's Bad Fur Day, and Mortal Kombat Trilogy.
Finally, we wrap up with a chat on the representation of female protagonists in gaming. With the upcoming The Legend of Zelda game starring Zelda herself and the recent Princess Peach Showtime, we debate the merits and challenges of diversifying character roles while maintaining their core identities.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next month!
Welcome to the latest episode of the Digitally Uploaded Podcast!
This month we talk about the sorry state of game development, in light of everything that has been going on with Microsoft shuttering studios (and then immediately looking for more acquisitions)
Then we discuss the controversy surrounding Ubisoft's upcoming Assassin's Creed game set in Japan, focusing on the historical character Yasuke, the first African samurai. We chat about the importance of accurate historical representation and the backlash against the game's protagonist.
And, of course, we discuss all the big game releases for June. What's on your agenda?
Thanks as always for tuning in, and as always we'd love to hear your thoughts on any of these topics!
This month we delve into everything from the controversial Stella Blade to the untapped potential in Australian game stories such as Broken Roads, and everything in-between.
We kick off the podcast talking about all the games we're looking forward to that are coming out in May. There are some surprising ones on the horizon that you probably weren't aware of, but should have on the radar!
From there we talk about the quirky, less popular games from the 90s such as Iggy's Wrecking Balls and Ayden Chronicles, and how difficult it can be to preserve those titles for future generations.
And then finally we talk about adapting books to games - Suikoden, for example, is based on Water Margin, and while you don't need to have read the book to enjoy the game, the relationship between the two is interesting, and it would be nice to see more game developers do that.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next month!
This month on the Digitally Uploaded podcast, we dive deep into Dragon's Dogma 2, as a rare example of an open world that delivers on the promise of open world games. It's not for everyone... but wow is it a work of art.
We also discuss how game developers on board us with new games and concepts... especially at a time when we're all busy and only have a few hours a week to ourselves. What can developers do to make sure we're enjoying that time to the best, rather than learning complex systems?
Finally, we take a look at the games coming out in April. Thankfully it's a relatively quiet month... but there are still a few big hitters that you're not going to want to miss.
Thank you as always for tuning in!
Welcome to the March episode of the Digitally Uploaded podcast – your go-to destination for everything video gaming. It's a big month. It's a Final Fantasy month!
We start by chatting about the big games coming out this month, including Fitness Boxing featuring Hatsune Miku, the retro Top Racer Collection which revisits the nostalgia of 16-bit racing games, and Snufkin, Melody of Moominvalley. And that's just the indie stuff. There are some BIG games on the way.
Then we chat about Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's gripping narrative, versus some of the open-world stuff, which we are of two minds on. But there is no doubt that this is a very big game, and one that's going to go down well in history given that it's the third-highest rated Final Fantasy of all time.
Then, finally, we chat about games that come out of nowhere and we just didn't have on our radar until they released. One was Helldivers 2, which is currently doing the rounds as the hottest game on the market. The other is the unfortunately overlooked and seemingly doomed-to-obscurity Banishers.
We ponder the effectiveness of marketing strategies in the gaming industry based on how these games have managed to get the response that they have.
Tune in to our deeply thinky podcast, and let us know your own thoughts!
Diving into Gaming Accessible to AllIn the first episode of 2024, we start by looking at all the upcoming game releases for February 2024. This year has been off to an incredible start, and the momentum continues this month. Big time.
Enhancing Gaming with AccessibilityFrom Final Fantasy to Sony games, we investigate the strides taken in gaming accessibility in this episode. We explore the convenience provided by features such as "easy story-based mode" in action-based games, the challenge in making boss battles work without relying on grinding experience, and how to optimise games based on personal comfort settings.
Unearthing the Cultural Element in GamingWe then dive into the minimal representation of the Chinese Lunar New Year in games. Yes, some popular games like Overwatch do something, but many others miss out on a big opportunity to share diverse cultures.
Thank you as always for tuning in, and welcome to a new year of the Digitally Uploaded podcast!
It's the final podcast of 2023! We hope that everyone has played some magnificent games this year, and is looking forward to a well-earned break (and perhaps a chance to catch up on the backlog).
We've rounded out the year in style, with a big podcast, looking back at all the great and memorable things we played in 2023, the big games still to come, and then, for the retro-inclined, those classics that were difficult and challenging to audiences.
As always, let us know what you think, and have a wonderful end of the year, everyone!
In among all the big games releasing in November (seriously, just check out the "games of the month" list), we found some time to muse on what to expect from the Nintendo Switch successor this month.
Surely the console is reaching the end of its life, and surely Nintendo is getting closer to making the announcement of the successor... so what are we expecting from it?
In this podcast we also discuss some games that we just know we'll love... and yet haven't played yet. You might be surprised by some of the stuff we've missed!
That's it for this podcast. Have an awesome month filled with great games, everyone!
We've reached the tail end of the year, and the games keep on coming! As you'll see from our October release list, there's a lot to look forward to - a lot - so make sure you clear those weekends away.
Then, for the rest of the podcast, we tackle two topics to deal with the big end of town. Firstly, with Jim Ryan stepping down from Sony, we discuss his legacy, how Sony changes under his management, and what might be next now the company will have a chance in leadership.
Then we also chat about Baldur's Gate, which is surely the darling game of 2023. How did something so different become so successful, and what can the industry learn from it.
That's a wrap for this month! Let us know your thoughts, and have an awesome October!
It's September already! We recorded this episode well in advance for scheduling reasons, and so some of the things we say in here will be out of date... but we still have a good laugh, despite not knowing what has happened over the last six weeks.
So this week we kick off by looking at the big games releasing in September. Then we chat about games that "get worse" over time. Finally, we have a good laugh examining where our limits are as to what we'd play on the train.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and do let us know your own thoughts about any and all of these topics!
This month's podcast is a simple one: we rank all the JRPGs! Yep, that's right, we go through all the major series, old and new, and class them according to the tiers we think they belong to.
We assume some people are going to yell at us over our picks!
We also list out all the big games happening in August. It's yet another month where you better get those batteries charged, because there's a lot to play.
Let us know your own JRPG rankings, and we'll see you next month!
Something old and something new for discussion in this month's podcast!
We kick things off as we always do with a look at all the games releasing in July. If you're a fan of Japanese games - and JRPGs in particular - steel yourself because the month is going to be intense.
From there we talk about Final Fantasy XVI in-depth. What were the themes that we found most poignant about it, what has disappointed us in how the conversation around the game has gone, and what do we think (and hope) this masterpiece means for Japanese games, JRPGs, and blockbusters in general?
Finally, to wrap a loaded podcast off, we chat about retro games, and ask the question "do they age? Should they be compared to the games that get released today, or if not how to we judge their ongoing value to the industry?"
As always let us know your own thoughts in the comments, and thanks for tuning in to our humble little podcast!
Welcome to the June 2023 edition of the Digitally Uploaded podcast! As usual we've got a great show for you planned.
We start by chatting through all the big releases in June. It's dominated by one particular game, but there's a lot of other interesting stuff coming too!
Then we talk about sequels - what makes a good sequel? Should it be a direct continuation of its predecessor, or something totally different? And is it okay to reuse elements, such as the same in-game world?
Finally, we talk about narrative accessibility. With games becoming increasingly large and dense, what can and should developers do to make sure they're bringing audiences on the journey with them?
Thanks as always for tuning in, and have a great month of gaming ahead!
Hello everyone, and welcome to the bumper podcast we have for you for May!
In addition to talking through all the big games coming out this month (it's dominated by one game in particular... can you guess what game?), we also chat through two big topics:
Firstly, with Final Fantasy XVI just on the horizon (and the Pixel Remasters just out on console), we ask ourselves what were our favourite moments of the series, from its early days right through to the most modern releases.
Then, in light of the horrible releases of Redfall and Forspoken this year, we also ask: while AAA-grade remakes are doing just fine (consider Resident Evil 4), why are the big publishers struggling so much to have original ideas?
Enjoy the banter, and we'll be back next month!
This month on the Digitally Uploaded podcast, we grapple with the thorniest of issues currently plaguing video games: The role that AI is increasingly playing in the "creative" side of development. In short, it's a problem. Potentially, a very big problem.
Then, to be more positive, we talk about excellent writing in games. What are some of the games over the years that have really stood out to us as examples of just purely good writing?
All that, plus our usual wrap of the most interesting-looking games coming out this month. Kick back and enjoy the two-hour show... and thanks as always for tuning in!
This month on the Digitally Uploaded podcast, we have a bumper episode where we talk through the GB and GBA games that we'd love to see on Switch. How do games from that era hold up, or are they just for the nostalgic, and will we get the full breadth of creativity that was released for those consoles?
Then, in honour of the release of Wo Long, Koei Tecmo's latest Soulslike, we chat about that genre again. Specifically, we ask the question: what helps a Soulslike from a developer other than FromSoftware stand out? What does FromSoftware do that so many other developers struggle with?
Enjoy our two-hour podcast, let us know what you think, and we'll be back next month for more!
Welcome to the February episode of the podcast! As always, we've got a cracking episode for you this month. We start out by discussing the games of the month as always. Then we move on to our favourite snacks & drinks while gaming, before capping things off with a chat about game music in symphonies; what works and what do we prefer to have as part of the gaming experience? As always let us know your own thoughts, and have a great month in gaming!
We are back for another year! The January episode of the Digitally Uploaded podcast is a big, two-hour special, and we have a special guest on this week! We start the episode by talking about the big game releases in January (and there are some surprises to look forward to!), and then we each pick our three big games of the last year that stood out to us as highlights. From there we have a chat with Lachlan, of Lached Up Games. He recently released his latest game, My Mad Scientist Roommate Turned Me Into Her Personal Robotic Battle Maiden?!?, and we chat with him about that game, the Australian game dev scene, and plenty more. Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you at the next one!
Welcome everyone to the last podcast of 2022, and we have a bumper 2-hour special for your listening pleasure.
First of all, we talk about the last wave of games to land in the year (there's more than you think!), and then we chat about the challenges of open-world games, and taking formerly linear adventures and moving them into those open spaces.
Finally, we talk about the two approaches to characterisation - named characters (where player choice over character creation might be limited) vs. character creation (where the developer has no idea what kind of character you're controlling). What are the pros and cons of both, and which do you prefer?
We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season. The Digitally Uploaded podcast has really taken off this year, and we love having you all as listeners. See you in 2023!
Welcome to the month's podcast, everyone! As always we've got a great show to share with you this month. We kick things off by discussing all the big releases happening in November (there's a lot).
Then we chat about sequels, and specifically, what is the best approach to take. Should a sequel assume that players have played the previous titles, or should each sequel be self-contained?
Finally, we get a bit nostalgic this month, and each pick three game properties that have been put on ice, and we'd just love to see them back. What would you pick?
Thanks as always for tuning into our show!
We've got another big, 2-hour episode of the podcast for your listening pleasure this month!
In addition to our usual wrap of all the games coming out this month, we chat about a lack of understanding about how games get made and published. This is of course in response to the GTA VI leaks from a few weeks ago, but it does seem to be a timeless topic - why do people not better learn about how games are made?
And then we also chat about a favourite genre of ours at DDNet - the rhythm game genre! What are its strengths and weaknesses as a genre, and how awesome is this new tuba-playing rhythm game that is doing the rounds right now?
Thanks as always for tuning in everyone and let us know your own thoughts on this episode's topics!
Welcome to another massive episode of the DDNet podcast! This month we kick things off with a look at all the big releases happening (it is a lot!) as usual... then we talk about handhelds. With competition heating up to bring Steam handhelds to market, will we even need consoles and PCs soon?
From there we talk about endlessly updating games. Is it a good thing that games are updated now and previous versions of those games are purged from existence? We would argue that that's not so cut-and-dry.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and do let us know your own thoughts on these subjects!
A couple of us on the podcast made the terrible mistake of watching the new Resident Evil television series recently. It really was a mistake - don't do it to yourselves - but in watching that we realised that there was a good discussion in there about what motivates these TV/film adaptations of video games, and why are they rarely any good?
In addition, we chat about the ongoing discourse around short games. Stray really did kick off a new round of that, but on the podcast, we take a broader video on the topic, and try and define the role that length has in video games versus the role that it should have.
Naturally, we also lay out all the big game releases for the month ahead, and it's going to be a big one... though whether there's much there that will be truly essential while we're all still working through Xenoblade Chronicles 3 remains to be seen.
Thanks as always for tuning in, everyone!
This month on the Digitally Uploaded podcast, we discuss what the next 12 months look like for the major console publishers. Now that their mid-year streams and shows have ended, what do we think will happen in the next few months...
Then we discuss this concept of the "blockbuster" JRPG. In a genre that's so often niche and unassuming... do we even need those big-ticket JRPGs, designed for all audiences?
Finally, of course, we discuss all the big games coming out this month... speaking of JRPGs, it's going to be a big one.
Thanks as always for tuning in!
Hello listeners! We've got a cracking good podcast this month, with Ryan Brown of Super Rare Games jumping on to talk about his amazing Mixtape project, where he collects together some of the best indie titles from itch.io and other places, and gives you a chance to own amazing artistry and creativity in a physical format.
We also talk about the game series that we can't ever get enough of (Warriors/Musou and Mario Bros. rank highly, unsurprisingly), and as always we run through the big upcoming games for the month... fair warning to your backlogs, there are a lot of them.
Kick back, tune in and enjoy!
The news yesterday that Square Enix was selling off its western development studios to help fund a move into blockchain gaming, NFTs and other such things makes this podcast all the more pertinent. We actually recorded it before that news broke, but we actually talk about how terrible NFTs will be to the video game industry going forwards.
Elsewhere, we list off the massive number of May game releases you should be looking forward to, and chat about video game narratives that would be absolutely impossible to achieve in other media; just how can video games shape themselves as a unique storytelling medium.
Thanks as always for tuning in and we'll see you next month!
This month on the Digitally Uploaded podcast, we chat about Stranger of Paradise - Square Enix and Koei Tecmo's new action JRPG that is turning heads and amusing people... but is also one of the smartest games that you'll play all year and highlights some important developments in video games as an art form.
Then, we chat about the game canon. What makes a game "canon"? Is it just that it's the most fun game? That it sells well? Or are there other qualities that elevate the great and entertaining to the masterpieces of the form?
And of course we chat about the big game releases of the month. April is a quieter month than the first quarter of the year, but there are still some gems to look forward to!
Howdy peeps, and welcome to the March edition of the Digitally Uploaded podcast! We've got some great stuff to chat through this month so kick back and enjoy the 2-hour ride!
First, we run through all the stuff releasing in the month ahead (it's a staggering line-up of games). Then we talk about Elden Ring - a game that is surely going to be turning heads for many years to come (and with good reason). Finally, we talk about spoiler culture, and just how much our obsession with spoilers is letting the art form down.
Enjoy the show, let us know what you think, and we'll see you next month for more!
Welcome to the February edition of the Digitally Uploaded podcast!
This month we have one thing on our minds: Pokémon! With the first brand new Pokémon title in quite some time - Arceus - landing on our doorsteps, we've been playing it like mad because this is an absolute return to form for the series. And so we have focused the podcast on this topic.
Not only do we chat about Arceus itself, but how Game Freak is managing the property, our own history with Pokémon, and what we might see from the series going forwards.
Finally, Happy Lunar New Year! It's the year of the Tiger and we hope it's a good one for all our friends that celebrate this wonderful day in many Asian calendars.
We're back for 2022! And we've got a great podcast to kick things off!
This week, we're chatting about emulation consoles - what they are, why they're great, and what we can expect from them in 2022. When it comes to archiving and accessing the otherwise lost games of yesteryear, emulation consoles are worth their weight in gold.
We also chat about digital board games - what we like to play and why we like them.
Thanks for tuning in, and let's have a great 2022!
It's our special end of year extravaganza! A two-hour-long epic podcast in which we chat about the year that was, the games we loved, and then look forward to 2022 and everything that is on the horizon there. What a year it has been for gaming, and what a year it is likely to be.
Thank you to everyone that has tuned in over the year - it has been a joy as always to have you, and we can't wait to catch back up with you in the New Year. In the meantime, do let us know what you loved from 2021, how you felt the year went overall for gaming, and what you're looking forward to in 2022!
Have a great December and Christmas holiday season, everyone!
We have a very Nintendo-focused podcast this month. With new Pokémon titles out this month (or, at least, remakes of Pokémon titles), we have a good chat about those games, and the broader Pokémon experience - where are things at with the series, and what has made it so enduring?
And then we have a good chat about our big DDNet multiplayer session. With the Nintendo 64 collection landing on Switch this month, the team sat down to experience some classic split-screen multiplayer, and we had an absolute ball. As it turns out, Nintendo 64 games have held up as a multiplayer experience better than anyone might have expected - and they run well on Switch!
Finally, we talk about the games coming out in November. On the Switch, especially, it's an incredible month for releases.
Thanks as always for tuning in and let us know your own thoughts!
We have a very different topic for discussion this month, but I promise you it's an interesting one! The use of islands in games can range from the very, very large to the very, very small. But what do "islands" mean to video games, and what does it look like when it's done well?
We also take a look at the rest of the game releases this month - it's a jam-packed latter half indeed! Be sure to let us know what you'll be playing.
Thanks as always for tuning in!
The PlayStation 2 is one of the greatest consoles of all time, and its contribution to gaming should be remembered. We've been in a nostalgic mood in recent months, so we decided to bust out our favourite PlayStation 2 games to talk about the console - there were a lot of great games on that machine that are coming dangerously close to being forgotten.
We also chat about one of the greats in video games (Goichi Suda), whom many of us discovered for his PS2 masterpiece - Killer7 - and has an awesome new game out in No More Heroes III.
Finally, as always, we talk about the highlight big releases for the next month. If you like playing games brace yourself, because September is a big 'un.
let us know your own thoughts, thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next time!
Welcome to the August podcast!
This month our focus is on remakes, remasters, and re-releases. What makes a good remake, when is a remaster the better choice, or should developers respect the original? We get a lot of re-things these days, and the relationship between the original and the new is an important discussion to have in the context of games as an art form, so we have an in-depth chat about that this week.
As well as that, we chat about all the games coming out in August, and share some of our picks for the month.
Hello folks! We've got a special themed episode for you this month - it's all about Nintendo's Game Boy Advance (GBA).
The GBA turned 20 in Australia this June, and to this day remains one of the consoles that we remember fondly. It had a seemingly endless stream of excellent JRPGs, introduced us to some of our favourite properties (Fire Emblem, anyone?), and in many cases, was the first games console that we had, or took seriously.
So in this nearly 2-hour special podcast we spend most of it talking about the GBA - what we loved, what we missed, and why we'd love to see Nintendo actually bring it back in some form.
In addition to that we do run through all the games you'll be playing in July - there's a lot of them coming.
Thanks as always for tuning in!
We have a special themed podcast episode this episode! With special guest, Jay from JayRPG, we talk on for over an hour and a half about JRPGs - what we love about them, what we're looking forward to from the genre this year, and we take a deep dive into Dragon Quest.
JRPGs have always been central to the Japanese games industry, and they're going through a real high at the moment, winning new audiences and finding new voices. In this podcast episode, we explore some of what makes them so special to us.
The roguelike is a hot topic again, thanks to the "AAA"-roguelike, Returnal, exclusive to PlayStation 5. We chat about that this month on the podcast.
We also have a good chat about photography in games, thanks to New Pokemon Snap bringing out the wildlife photographer in us... and then we chat about a favourite genre, the simulation, and some of the implications of the newer era takes on that genre.
Finally, of course we have a good look at all the games coming out in May, and what you should be looking forward to.
Thanks as always for tuning in!
This month's podcast is a massive one, as we had a lot to talk about. We kick things off with the games of the month, of course (and there's a lot to look forward to in April!). Then we chat about NieR, the masterpiece that it is, before also talking about our love of mystery games AND party games.
Thanks as always for tuning in - let us know what you think about this episode, and we'll see you at the next one!
Have we got a massive podcast to share with you this month!
Not only do we talk about the games of March (of which there are A LOT coming), but we also go in-depth into retro-themed JRPGs, arcade games and arcade compilations. And then we have an in-depth interview with one of Australia's leading journeyman freelance narrative writers, Lee, about the local industry and some of the wonderful games that he's worked on.
It's a packed two hours to look forward to, so load it up and enjoy! Thanks as always for tuning in!
Time sure flies when you're having fun!
We're already into the second month of 2021, and we've been having a lot of fun with the games we've been playing. This month on the podcast we look at the packed February lineup, discuss why games need to be orientated more towards narrative, consider the ongoing role of the platformer, and debate what qualities make a game worth returning to once it becomes "retro".
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll catch you next month!
Welcome to the New Year, everyone! Let's hope that this year is a better one for everyone.
We are back with our monthly podcasts this year, where we'll look at all the games coming up in the month, as well as discussing various other topics... and hopefully have a guest or two along the way as well!
This month's a pretty casual one. We chat about what we're looking forward to in the year, and some of the highlights of last year. We also chat about the games that have defined the last generation, as this will be the first full year of the "new-gen" with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
Be sure to shout out over the year if there are any topics you'd like to see us cover. Otherwise, we look forward to having you tune in each month over the year!
Welcome to our final podcast of the year! This week we have special guest, Sanatana Mishra who has worked on, among other things, the excellent Assault Android Cactus and a range of remakes, including the Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse remake from a few years ago that was so, so good.
We talk with Sanatana about remakes, remasters, and what works and doesn't. We also talk about the new toy on the block - the PlayStation 5 - and all the fun we've been having with that, and then we talk about history games, and how Assassin's Creed is right back on top thanks to Valhalla.
Finally, we talk about all the good games coming out in December... there are more of them than you think.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we hope you enjoy the cast! Say hi and share your thoughts, and we'll be back right at the end of the year for the January episode!
The next generation of consoles will be on us in just weeks, and this time around it's a little different. With COVID-19 disrupting manufacturing and shipping, a lot of people are going to miss the first wave of this generation, so this week on the podcast we talk about the almighty fear of missing out, or FOMO.
We also delve into all the games you'll be playing in November (though we do mention Cyberpunk 2077, which has just been pushed into December now), and we talk about Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, one of the real gems and delights to emerge from 2020.
Finally, we are joined by special guest, Lachlan, to discuss his newly-released, and super-fanservicey Max's Bigger Bust - the sequel to Max's Big Bust, and one of the few games that combines anime art style and Australianisms. It's a hilarious game, we promise.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next month!
We have a special guest on the podcast this week! Tina from Cotton Candy Cyanide, an Australian developer that has just released her first game under the brand - Quantum Suicide. It's a very, very good game, full of Danganronpa-style drama and with a healthy dose of fan service, so this week we chat with her about the game, its development, and what players should look forward to from it.
We also go through the games that will release through October (there is a lot of them), and talk about both Tokyo Game Show for 2020, and classic games - which classic games hold up, which do not, and why. This topic was inspired by Mario 64's recent re-release on to Nintendo Switch, and there is some heated debate across the DDNet team as to its value as a game in 2020.
It's a big podcast, so kick back, relax, and enjoy! We'll be back next month with the next one!
Hello everyone and welcome to this month's podcast!
As always we kick things off with a look into the games that we can expect to play next month - it's going to be a big one.
Then we transition to talking about our topics for the month. We discuss the role of literature in video games (and wonder why certain books haven't been "gamified" yet). We also discuss the role that music has in building narrative within games.
Then we talk about Fall Guys. Because everyone has to talk about Fall Guys right now.
Thanks as always for tuning in, drop us a note to say hi, and we'll see you at next month's podcast!
We have a special guest on the podcast this week! Philip J Reed, the author of an upcoming book on Resident Evil that is being published by Boss Fight Books jumps on the podcast to chat with us about his book, Resident Evil and his history with the series, and horror in video games.
We also chat about our JRPGs this week, and specifically look to dig into what makes a good JRPG. Then we discuss some of our favourite soundtracks to listen to outside of video games (i.e. the soundtrack stands up by itself).
And, as always, we give you a full list of all the games to look forward to in the month ahead. August... could be a busy one, especially if you enjoy Japanese games.
Thanks as always for tuning in!
Welcome to the July Digitally Uploaded podcast!
We've got a lot of exciting things to talk about this episode. We start by running through all the big releases in July (it's a big, big month). Then we chat about the educational value of games in light of This War Of Mine being added to Polish curriculum.
Finally, we settle into this debate around AAA vs art, and look at the way that just about every big blockbuster game is chalked up as great art. We discuss why this is not only unnecessary, but harmful to video games as a medium.
Thanks as always for tuning in - let us know what you think of the episode - and we look forward to seeing you next month!
This month on the DDNet podcast, we look back at the SNES as a console - what a machine it was, and discuss some of the lesser-known hits that you may never have heard about before.
We also talk about games that are either designed poorly (but have magnificent ideas), or are deliberately designed to be "bad" in order to convey a point. They're always controversial in terms of how people respond to them, but if you love one of those games you tend to really, REALLY, love it.
And of course we talk about all the major releases coming in June. It's traditionally a quiet month, but there's still plenty to look forward to.
Thank you as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next month!
Yes, the Digitally Uploaded podcast is back! We were away on hiatus for a while, as we sorted through various changes in the podcast team's lives, but we're back, and with a fresh new look at the podcast.
We're moving to a monthly schedule, for a start. This will allow us to go deeper with the stuff that we look at in each podcast, and make each one longer, too! This month, for example, we chat about Final Fantasy, games from isolation, itch.io as a platform for games, and all the stuff you'll be playing in May.
It's good to be back, and we hope you enjoy this new approach we're taking. As always, if there are any particular topics you'd like to canvas, just let us know!
Ahoy peeps!
It has been a few weeks since the last podcast. The good news is that the podcast editor, Alan, has completed a move overseas safely and now we're back on track. This will be the last podcast for the year, but we will be back in force come 2020!
In this week's podcast, we mostly chat about the highlights of the year that was, what we're looking forward to in the new year (it's already shaping up as a good one!), and all that good stuff.
Thanks for tuning in to the 30 or so podcasts we published this year. It's been wild, and we can't wait to see you all bright and early in the new decade! Have a safe and joyful holidays and thank you for your support!
First of all, a correction - we mention that we have used a MEIKO song in the podcast, but in editing we dropped the wrong one in - what you'll hear for the customary voicaloid track is actually Kagamine Rin. Sorry about any confusion there!
What's not confusing is the nonsense that is Blizzard. Announcing Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 ain't going to make us forget that Hong Kong stuff, mates.
This week we also just catch up on the random stuff that we've been playing when not focused on stuff like Death Stranding for review. There's just been so much going on, it has been hard to keep up.
Thanks as always for tuning in! We may or may not need to take a couple of weeks off now (Alan is relocating to the UK and he's the manager of the podcast), but we'll be back as soon as we can be!
Ahhh Halloween. That special time of year where it's fun to be spooked. As is traditional for us, we take a look at some of the themed games you should be playing this year.
As it's also the last week of the month, we also talk about all the games you'll be playing in November... and there are a lot of them. It's not quite as bad as October, but still the releases come on thick and fast.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you at the next one!
We've got a bit of a themed episode going this week! It's all about the retro!
From watching let's plays of difficult to find games, to the decline of arcades (even in Japan - sniff), and a new, gorgeous console that will play your Game Boy games, retro gaming is still a big part of our lives, and every so often we like to check in and get old-school.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we look forward to seeing you next week!
There have been a lot of great remasters over the past few years... but there have also been some horrible or misguided ones. What's the difference, and what should a remaster do? We chat about that this week.
We also muse over Nintendo's next fitness game, which gives you a rubber ring and a world of possibilities. Finally, we talk about some of the strangest games that we've had the joy of playing over the years.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we will see you next week!
It's been a really, really good couple of weeks. Not only was the Untitled Goose Game released, to become an instant revelation and something that every person with any taste whould play, but Apple Arcade launched and breathed some much-needed life back into mobile gaming.
We also have a good old chat about all the games releasing in October... and there are a lot of those. A lot.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you all next week!
This podcast was recorded two weeks ago, ahead of Matt heading off to Japan for TGS, but we've picked some pretty timeless topics that will never die for your listening pleasure.
Game reviews: should they be objective (why this one won't just die is beyond us)? Also Pokemon! And Matt chats about some of the interviews that he organised at TGS. You'll be able to read those in the coming weeks as they go up at http://www.digitallydownloaded.net
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next week!
Nintendo held a direct last week, and it impressed us that much that we decided to talk exclusively about it in the podcast this week. From Deadly Premonition to SNES classics on the Switch, the 40-minute show demonstrated how the Switch is going from strength to strength... and it is amazing to watch.
So this week we talk about the highlights from the show (there were many), what we'd still like to see from Nintendo (yes, there are areas for improvement), and we rave about how good Deadly Premonition really is.
Thanks as always for tuning in! See you next week!
With the HD remaster of Final Fantasy VIII released this week, the DDNet team took the opportunity to look back at all the Final Fantasy (numbered) series, and talk about the good, the bad, and the way the series has evolved over time.
That's right. From Final Fantasy I through to XV we talk about them all this week.
We also have a look at all the games you'll be playing in September. There are a lot of those.
Thanks as always for tuning in!
The big "art blockbuster" release this week is Control, from the makers of Max Payne and Alan Wake. We have a good chat about that one on this week's podcast!
We also take a look at all the big announcements from Gamescom, the "replacement E3". And we chat through a recent wave of censorship that has hit Australia courtesy of a number of very high profile games getting themselves banned.
Thanks as always for tuning in! Let us know of there are ever any topics you would like for us to address, and we'll get right on it!
Phew! That's been a couple of weeks. Our podcast recording platform got up and died, so we needed to find an alternative. That's why we've been away the last couple of weeks, but we're back now.
So this week we talk about ACE Team's mesmerising new game, The Eternal Cylinder. We've only seen a first trailer of it so far, but we're completely sold on it. We also talk about Plague Inc, which is still kicking around after almost a decade and just released on Nintendo Switch.
And we have a bit more of a laugh at the ongoing saga that is Borderlands 3. It's the gift that keeps on giving.
Thank you for your patience as we worked through those tech issues!
It was a very sad week for the games industry last week, with one of the finest and most respected game developers, Defiant Development, closing up shop despite being behind the critical darlings Hand of Fate and Hand of Fate 2.
We talk a bit about where Aussie game development is, and what we'd like to see for it next. We also talk about all the lovely games releasing in August this year... and of course there are a lot of them!
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we look forward to seeing you at the next one!
Welcome back! We had a week's hiatus to get some other things done, but we're back this week, in style. Nintendo's had a whole lot of stuff out to talk about, Netflix tried its best to ruin Stranger Things on us all, and we have a good chat about games we've gone back to after taking a break from them.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and remember, if there's ever a topic you'd like to see us cover, just let us know!
What an awesome week of news we had last week, headed by the return of Hatsune Miku to consoles! Yes! She's getting a brand new Switch experience, and we chat about that, and some of the other exciting stuff that came last week.
We also catch up on all the awesome stuff that Final Fantasy XIV's new expansion is bringing us, and we list out our favourite arcade games of all time.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll catch up with you all next week!
We're now halfway through the year! Tired yet? Well, you're going to get a whole lot more tired soon, because there's a lot to play this coming month!
We also have a good ol' chat about our favourite fighting games of all time (and why), and we discuss two of the biggest releases over the last week in-depth: Judgement and Bloodstained.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll catch you next week!
Don't worry. We don't actually talk about Tifa's boobs, or the ridiculous controversy surrounding them. Much.
We have a great podcast for you this week! There's so many horror games releasing at the moment, so we talk about that, and then we also chat about My Friend Pedro and the old bugbear it raises - the question of violence.
This week we also try out a new feature, listing out our three favourite games within a specific genre. This week we're talking about sports games, but if there's any particular genre that you ever want us to chat about, let us know in the comments!
So, how good was E3 this year? Well, it was great if you were a fan of Nintendo and retro games... but was there much more to this year's show?
In our post-E3 wrap and debrief, we talk about everything that excited us in the show, what we're looking forward to playing, and what the biggest highlights were.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you all next week!
We recorded this podcast just before E3 kicked off so, with the event now fully in swing, what did we expact to hear about, what are we looking forward to, and what will we be focused on?
Without Sony, E3 this year is certainly going to be different! But there's still plenty to get excited about, and already so much announced, with more to come.
Let us know what you're looking forward to this year, what you've enjoyed seeing, and what games are hot on your "to do" list now! Thank you as always for tuning in, and we'll see you at the next podcast where... no doubt we'll have plenty more to say about E3.
On this week's episode, we have a talk about the surprise announcement that Kojima's Death Stranging will release this year, in November. There was a new trailer for it, and Alan and Matt get into a bit of verbal fisticuffs over whether Kojima's all he's cracked up to be.
We also talk about Pokemon, with four new Pokemon announcements happening last week. Is Pokemon Sleep worth getting excited for? What about a new Detective Pikachu title for Switch? There's something in there for everyone.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and do let us know if there's ever anything you'd like to hear us chat about on Digitally Uploaded!
Can you believe we're already halfway into the year? Where has 2019 gone? Anyway, with June just around the corner, we chat about the (many) interesting games that will be coming out in and around E3.
As this week saw the release of Team Sonic Racing, we also talk about that... and why developers seem to struggle so much to compete with Nintendo in that genre. Finally, Octopath Traveler is coming out on PC soon, so we take a look back at why that game is so wonderful.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next week!
We've finally convinced Alan to take another swing at Final Fantasy XII, now that it's out on Nintendo Switch, and he's enjoying the heck out of it.
We also have a chat about the names that game developers give games... because frankly, a lot of publishers don't do a good job there. What makes a video game title good, and why do so many developers and publishers get that wrong?
Finally, we also chat about NISA's latest one, and talk about all kinds of weird stuff besides.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next week!
Sony held a PlayStation State of Play last week, so we talk about what we saw in there, and whether Sony has its event formula nailed down properly yet (it probably doesn't).
We also have a good chat about spoilers, and whether people are starting to take that too far (they probably are). Finally, in the wake of Ubisoft going out there and actively claiming that its new Tom Clancy game "isn't political," when it quite blatantly is, we have a good laugh at how sour the discource around politics in games has turned.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next week!
The next big fighting game to land on the scene, Mortal Kombat XI, released recently, and we've been playing it pretty hard. This week we take a look at that game and, of course, its infamous violence.
We also chat about the (many) games releasing in May. It's going to be a good month, so get ready to add to that backlog!
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we look forward to seeing you next week!
It was a huge week for Persona news last week, so naturally that dominates the chat we had on the podcast!
We also took the opportunity to chat on about Yoshi, given the recent new game and the fact we hadn't had the chance to talk about that until now. Finally, we talk about survival games. The worst genre (not really, but we do talk about some of the issues that we have with it as a whole).
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next week!
We have a special guest this week, with Lachlan Snell, the Aussie developer behind the recent JRPG/visual novel blend, Alluna and Brie, jumping on to tell us all about his new game, from its Aussie humour to its stylish blend of Persona-style storytelling and copious fanservice.
We also chat about the slivers of information that have been emerging about the PlayStation 5, and the newest Smash Bros. DLC - Joker from Persona 5! Is he good? You betya.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you at the next podcast!
It's been such a big couple of weeks for Final Fantasy, with IX, VII, X and X-2 releasing on the Nintendo Switch within weeks of one another... and FFXII just around the corner.
So this week on the podcast we talk about those games. Additionally, we chat about remakes - what makes a good remake, and when should great games be left alone?
Finally, we chat about baseball. Not just because MLB The Show is recently released, but Konami also has one coming, about the (better) Japanese baseball league. That's one worth looking forward to, if you don't mind the import.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next week!
We're back! After a couple of weeks off because Matt was in Japan (hope you enjoyed the special top 20 music countdown!), we're back, and with a brand new podcast, looking at some of the biggest conversations that has been going on with video games.
First up, we chat about Sekiro, which has been causing all kinds of discussions over the past few weeks since it released. It's good though. Very good.
Then we chat about Borderlands and the ongoing nonsense regarding the Epic store. Apparently people don't like using it or something.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll catch you all next week!
Last week we kicked off a countdown of 20 of our favourite pieces of game music - not necessarily the best, but certainly our favourites. This week we finish that countdown!
From Final Fantasy to Wild Arms, Donkey Kong to The World Ends With You, there's been so much great music made for video games, it was certainly hard to narrow it down to a celebration of 20! We hope you like what we've chosen, though, and would love to hear your own picks as well!
See you next time!
Over the next two weeks, we're going to be sharing some of the DDNet team's favourite pieces of game music. These aren't necessarily the best pieces of all time (we all walked away from recording this podcast and immediately thought of another dozen tracks we could talk about), but these are all brilliant pieces of music that are critical to the quality of the games themselves.
So tune in to the tunes and enjoy! We also briefly introduce why we love these pieces of music, so be sure to let us know why you like these tracks, and any others that you would have added to our little list!
And be sure to tune in next week when we finish up our little list!
Last week brought the sad news that Sony was formally putting an end to the PlayStation Vita, the little handheld that could, so this week on the Digitally Uploaded podcast, we reminisce about all the good times we had with that console, and the great games we played.
We also have another chat about The Caligula Effect - a game we seemingly can't stop playing or thinking about. It's just that good.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next week!
It's all about upcoming games this week on the Digitally Uploaded podcast. First we chat about A Plague Tale - a suspenseful stealth game set during the Black Death that we had a couple of hours hands-on time with.
Then we chat about the next game from the studio behind the Yakuza series: Judgement is an all-new direction for the SEGA studio... or is it?
We also chat a little about our first impressions of Nintendo's mobile title, Dragalia Lost, now that it's finally available in Australia and New Zealand.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next week!
It's the end of the February, and you know what that means! We look at all the games releasing in March, and whoo boy is it going to be a busy month.
We also chat about some of the favourite obscure games that we've played and loved over the years... and try and figure out what makes a free-to-play game actually worth playing.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll be back next week with even more great stuff to chat about!
Last week Nintendo held its most impressive Nintendo Direct Web show ever, so we talk about all the awesome announcements that were made there (including Tetris!)
We also have a good chat about open world games, given two very high-profile ones released this week: Metro and Far Cry. Is the open world genre perfect for every game? Why is it the most popular going around at the moment? This we discuss.
Finally we chat about character mascots - why are they so popular in Japan, and why don't western developers put quite the same effort into their mascots (also Matt gets to talk about Hatsune Miku a bit, which made him very happy.
What's the "perfect" game? With something as subjective as video games, "perfection" shouldn't mean "flawless," but actually nutting down what causes us to call something "perfect" is one of the things we chat about this week on the Digitally Uploaded podcast.
We also have a good chat about some of the worst games that we've ever played, and then we take a quick look at the mobile games space... which has faded, and badly, though there is still the occasional gem that lands there.
Thanks as always for tuning in! Sorry about the absolutely horrible Clive Palmer song at the end of this week's podcast, but we figured that here in Australia we're being flooded by that guy's insanity every day, so we'd just spread the love a little bit.
WarGroove, the independent-developed Advance Wars "clone" is the flavour of the week this week, so we chat about that.
We also discuss the state of the Nintendo eShop (it ain't great), and discuss one of the most over-used genre tropes - the roguelike. Gosh roguelikes are awesome when they're at their best, though.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and see you next week!
We've got something pretty neat in the podcast this week; an interview with the lead narrative designer on Ubisoft's upcoming Far Cry New Dawn. We chat about the game's themes and how the narrative was structured. Have a listen!
Also this week we look at all the interesting-looking releases that are coming in February (there's a lot), and, in light of how impressive Resident Evil 2's recent remake is, we also chat about the games we'd love to see get the remake treatment.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and look forward to next week's podcast!
With the recent news that EA is dropping a large-scale open world Star Wars game, we look at how poorly the publisher has handled its Star Wars license, since gaining exclusive rights to it from Disney almost a decade ago.
We also talk about the pressing need for Nintendo to expand its subscriber-only "NES Virtual Console" by adding games from the SNES (and other consoles). Finally, we chat about some of the visual novels that we've been playing.
Thanks as always for tuning in, let us know if there's anything in particular you'd like to see on the podcast, and see you next week!
We're back for 2019! Our first podcast of the year looks at all the great games that are releasing in January (there really are a lot), as well as the stuff we're looking forward to for the rest of the year.
And we also chat about Dead or Alive 6. Because of course we're going to talk about Dead of Alive. What a fighting game that's going to be.
We look forward to having you as listeners through the year. If you have any requests for topics to discuss, features on the podcast, and so on, please don't hesitate to let us know! In the meantime, catch us on our Twitter to say hi:
Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Matt S: @digitallydownld Ginny W: @ginnywoes
This is the final episode of 2018! We look back at the good, bad, and ugly of the year, and reflect on all the awesome games that we got to play.
Don't worry, we'll be back in 2019, which is already shaping up to be a truly amazing year for games in itself. Thanks for tuning in over the year, everyone! We hope you had fun and laughed along with us, and we were interesting at times too. We'll be back in the New Year! In the meantime, let us know what you thought of the show this year, what you'd like to see in the episodes ahead, and, most importantly, have an awesome Christmas!
While the awards themselves are junk (giving God of War "Game of the Year" is like giving The Avengers the Academy Award for best film), one good thing about The Game Awards is how many publishers now use it to announce new game projects, and we've got plenty of that to talk about this week in the podcast.
Additionally, it is Smash Bros. week! We talk about the latest instalment in Nintendo's mega-franchise.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and feel free to chat with us on Twitter if you'd like!
Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Matt S: @digitallydownld Trent P: @trinest
December's meant to be the quiet period, but you wouldn't be able to tell, from all the big releases that are coming out, or just around the corner.
This week we chat about the incredible news that the Māori are coming to Civilization VI, and we discuss an interview that Matt had with the development leads on that project. We also talk about just how awesome the Persona dancing games are (they're really awesome), and finally we discuss the ideal Christmas gifts to get the gamer in every family.
Grab us on Twitter, and we'll see you next week!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Matt C: @MC_Odd
First up, apologies for the slightly shorter podcast this week. We had some technical issues that prevented us from recording the last third that we had planned.
On the plus side, we've got plenty of great stuff to chat about this week! First off, we look at all the game releases for December. For a month of the year in which no much is meant to happen... there's a lot happening in December. A lot.
We also chat about Darksiders III, which is one of the last really big releases for the year. What a couple of months is has been... but wow is Darksiders III a great way to cap the busy season off.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and catch us on social media!
Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Matt S: @digitallydownld Harvard L: @harvardliu
It's that time of year again! The end of the year brings the inevitable game awards, so we take this opportunity to discuss those awards, and intro DDNet's own awards coming up in a few weeks.
We also talk about the big news that Sony is skipping E3 completely next year - what that means for Sony, and E3 itself. Finally, with last week bringing us a brand new Pokemon title, we discuss the latest in the never-ending world-wide phenomenon.
Catch us on Twitter!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Harvard L: @harvardliu Trent P: @trinest
Last week brought the sad news that Final Fantasy XV - a game that we at DDNet have enjoyed a great deal - is being wound up, with a number of the planned DLC add-ons now never going to see the light of day.
We also talk about the response to the news of the Diablo mobile game, which has gone some truly ridiculous places. Then, to finish, we talk about one of the most stunning artistic games to have been released in recent years, 11-11: Memories Retold.
Thanks for listening, and catch us on Twitter!
Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Matt S: @digitallydownld Matt C: @MC_Odd Trent P: @trinest
We've got a mix of stuff to talk about this week! From our thoughts on the information that's come out about Ghost of Tsushima, including an interview that went up on Gamesindustry.biz last week, to the unending stream of retro collections that we're getting these days, and then rhythm games, because Taiko just released, and Taiko's just the best.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next week!
It wouldn't be the end of October without spending one podcast dedicated to horror and Halloween. This week, we have a chat about what exactly makes a "Halloween game" and whether all horror games count as Halloween-worthy.
We also chat about the games of November, because while November usually results in a slower release schedule, there's still plenty to look forward to.
Catch us on Twitter, if you'd like!
Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Matt S: @digitallydownld
See you next week!
Following the revelations of 100-hour work weeks and an otherwise lack of balance in working conditions at Rockstar in the lead up to the release of Red Dead Redemption 2, we couldn't help but talk about that in the podcast this week.
Then we move on to happier topics - Soulcalibur VI is absolutely incredible, and there's a surprising visual novel that's been released recently that everyone should check out.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and be sure to say hi to us on Twitter if you'd like to talk further!
Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Matt S: @digitallydownld Matt C: @MC_Odd Trent: @Trinest
Warriors Orochi 4 has been released! As we're all big fans of the Warriors series on DDNet, this naturally dominated our conversation this week.
Additionally, Nintendo has released its first mobile game that wasn't based on an existing property; Dragalia Lost is the company's first mobile-first effort. We have a chat about how Nintendo's going with the mobile thing.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and be sure to grab us on out Twitter, if you'd like to chat with us:
Matt S: @digitallydownld Ginny W: @ginnywoes Priscilla M: @cilllah
We're back! After a week's hiatus so Matt could attend Tokyo Game Show, we're now back to chat about all the great (and not such great stuff) that happened in the last week.
First we chat about TGS, and then the sad news about Telltale Games, before moving on to the surreal controversy about Total War: Rome 2.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and we'll see you next week!
Nintendo and Sony both recently held major events in which the respective publishers showed off everything that they've got coming in the coming months, and what a lineup both platformers have.
Ahead of TGS, we can't help but get excited about all the stuff that's on the way!
Thanks as always for tuning in, and catch us on Twitter if you'd like!
Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Matt S: @digitallydownld Trent P: @trinest
This week on the Digitally Uploaded podcast, we chat about a couple of big news moments that happened over the last week.
First up, Civilization VI for the Nintendo Switch. How good is it going to be having that in portable form on the go (very, very good).
Then we talk about THQ Nordic's excellent acquisiton of the Kingdoms of Amalur IP, and more broadly, how THQ Nordic has really emerged as a major publisher, especially of beloved classics of yesteryear.
Then, finally, we chat about older games that we're still waiting on a HD re-release for on modern consoles. Lollipop Chainsaw, for example.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and catch us on social media!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Matt C: @MC_Odd Trent: @trinest
What a milestone! The Digitally Uploaded podcast has this week hit 100 episodes from when we started, way back in 2016. Almost the entire DDNet team jumps on the podcast this week for a bit of chaos and fun as we look back over the last couple of years of gaming - the highs and the lows.
Also we talk a bit about Animal Crossing. C'mon Nintendo, a new console Animal Crossing game is way overdue.
Thank you for listening over the past 100 episodes, and here's to 100 more!
It's a big month ahead for video games, as we start to ramp towards the all-important Christmas season, so we kick of this week's podcast with a chat about everything to look forward to in the month ahead.
And then, for something completely different, we chat about Nekopara - an adult visual novel on PC, but sanitised right down for the Nintendo Switch release; do games like this need the erotic scenes to work? That's what we muse over!
Thanks as always for tuning in, and be sure to grab the team on Twitter to chat!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Ginny W: @ginnywoes
We've got a theme going on this week - all retro, all episode!
We kick things off by talking about games that haven't held up well at all (yes, GoldenEye 007. We go there). We also then talk about the sad demise of Emuparadise as an archive of the classics... and finally we chat about the idea of modern-retro; games that take old ideas but modernise them nicely.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and if you want to chat with us, come join us on Twitter!
Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Matt S: @digitallydownld Harvard L: @harvardliu
Bullet Girls Phantasia is a mind-boggling game that's just been released in English throughout Asia. We've been playing it a heck of a lot and chat about that this week.
We also talk about how terrible hunting games are, and how awesome games are when they reflect Shinto spirituality.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and if you want to chat with us on Twitter, here are our handles:
Matt S: @digitallydownld Harvard L: @harvardliu Ginny W: @ginnywoes
We had lots to talk about this week! First we talk about Fortnite and addiction (and the media's horrid handling of both topics), and then move on to really excellent games that are hard to motivate yourself to play.
We also chat about the new character additions to Dead or Alive 6, this year's NHL release, and game franchises that we'll continue to support no matter how bad they get (hello, Harvest Moon).
Be sure to chat with us on Twitter if you'd like - and let us know what topics you'd like for us to talk about!
Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Matt S: @digitallydownld
See you next week!
After a relatively quiet July, it looks like the big releases will be picking up in August... and there are a lot of games to play indeed!
In other news, we also talk about the gaming achievements that we're the most proud of... and we take a good look at the rather delightful Code of Princess EX, now out on Nintendo Switch!
Please drop in and say hello to us on Twitter if you've enjoyed the podcast!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Matt C: @MC_Odd
It's an eclectic mix this week, as we talk about the ongoing development of No Man's Sky, Taiko the Drum on the Nintendo Switch, and everyone's favourite Nintendo hero, Captain Toad!
Is it okay to creatively alter games after release, if "fans" don't like it? Or should a developer be able to stick to its creative vision, even if it means some people don't like it? That's been an ongoing debate in the games industry for some years now, with games being the one art form that can be "updated" after release, and forms the core of our discussion this week.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and catch us on social media!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Ginny W: @ginnywoes Priscilla M: @cilllah
It's all about the JRPG this week, with two equally-exciting JRPGs hitting the market!
The first is, of course, Octopath Traveller, the new, Nintendo-published love letter to the JRPGs of yesteryear. We chat about that one (without spoilers, of course). Then we chat about Shining Resonance Refrain, the first Shining game in ten years to make its way out west (we also chat about that one without spoilers).
Thanks as always for tuning in, and catch out team on Twitter below!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Trent P: @trinest Harvard L: @harvardliu Jay from Jay RPG: @JayRPGee
It's over the halfway point in the year, so we look forward to the big game releases in July. There aren't too many of them... but JRPG fans in particular have plenty to look forward to.
And then we talk about our personal favourite games of all time; our personal "top 3s", as such. The games that we just love, more than any other.
Want to chat with us? Grab us on our Twitter profiles!
Alan: @Trufflesss_ Matt: @digitallydownld Trent: @trinest Priscilla: @Cilllah
If you haven't played a Trails of Cold Steel game yet, you're really letting yourself down. This week we have an in-depth and spoiler-free chat about how great that series is.
We also chat about historical figures in video games, and look back at the first half of the year - just how good has 2018 been for gaming so far?
Thanks as always for tuning in, and be sure to catch us on social media!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Matt C: @MC_Odd Trent P: @Trinest Priscilla M: @Cilllah
E3 has come and gone for another year, and in this podcast we do a full wrap of everything we loved and wasn't so enamoured with from the show.
And that's it - the podcast is what we loved, what we found to be a bit "meh", and what we really didn't like. With so much announced, we have a lot to talk about!
Thanks as always for tuning in, and here's all of our Twitter handles, if you want to say hello!
Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Matt S: @digitallydownld Priscilla C: @Cillah Trent P: @trinest
What an eclectic bunch of games we've got to talk about this week!
First up, we talk about Dead or Alive 6, which was announced just hours before we recorded the podcast. Then we talk about Vampires, in light of the release of Vampyr by Dontnod. And, finally, we talk about hardcore strategy games like Nobunaga's Ambition and Total War... are they for everyone?
Thanks as always for tuning in, and be sure to grab us on our Twitter accounts if you'd like to say hi!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Ginny W: @ginnywoes
A new horror game, called Agony, released recently, and it is, by a significant margin, the best depiction of hell that we've seen to date. So we discuss how hell should be depicted in a game first up this week.
We also talk about Assassin's Creed, now that a new one in that wonderful series has been announced. And then, for something a bit lighter, we also chat about the new Sonic Racing game that has just been announced. Could Hatsune Miku put in an appearance? We sure hope so!
Feel free to come say hello to us on Twitter!
Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Matt S: @digitallydownld Ginny W: @ginnywoes Trent P: @trinest
There are a lot of game releases coming in June, so expect to have a big one (or add a lot to your backlog).
We also chat about last week's Battlefield V announcement and subsequent controversy. And then, for a bit of fun, we chat about the delightful, near endless game that is Hyrule Warriors.
Catch us on Twitter to chat more!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Matt C: @MC_Odd Harvard L: @harvardliu
Thanks as always for tuning in, and see you next week!
Join Alan and the band as we talk about some of the many big debates that exploded over the last week:
Should we be counting the value of games by the number of hours of entertainment they've provided? Should Steam be removing "adult" Japanese games but not touching western ones? And what the heck is up with Microsoft actually pushing out a new zombie game in 2018?
Thanks for listening in! Catch us on social media:
Alan: @Trufflesss_ Ginny W: @ginnywoes Trent P: @trinest Harvard L: @harvardliu
E3's rapidly approaching, and we're starting to see announcements coming in regarding what we can expect from that event, so we kick this week's discussion off with what we know about E3 so far.
With the FIFA World Cup rapidly approaching, we also have a chat about football games - both EA's FIFA and its great rival, Konami's PES.
And then we finish the podcast off this week with a chat about Yakuza - a series that we just can't get out of our minds now.
Thanks as always for tuning in! Grab us on Twitter if you'd like to chat:
Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Matt S: @digitallydownld Tyler T: @tylertreese Trent P: @trinest
Note: While Digitally Uploaded tries to be an all-ages podcast, we do get a little silly on this particular episode. So apologies in advance for that.
There may have been something in the water this week. But anyway, in between all the nonsense (and there is a lot of nonsense this week), we do chat about satire in video games, really retro retro stuff, and Fire Emblem! We do love Fire Emblem!
Catch us all on Twitter here:
Matt S: @digitallydownld Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Ginny W: @ginnywoes Tyler T: @tylertreese
You may have noiced there wasn't a podcast last week. Apologies for that; technical issues got in the way. But we are back now, and we've got a cracking podcast for you!
This week we kick things off with a discussion about God of War. Then we also chat about what makes for a good cut scene. Finally, we discuss all the games you'll be playing in May. It's a lot.
Thanks as always for tuning in! Chat with us on Twitter here:
Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Matt S: @digitallydownld Matt C: @MC_Odd
An interesting gamut of things to talk about this week - Persona 4 Dancing All Night (boy are we looking forward to the PlayStation 4 version of that), Diablo and its clones, and then an arthouse Nintendo Switch game. Which one? You'll just have to tune in to find out!
Thanks as always for listening, and here's our Twitter details if you ever want to drop us a note:
Matt S: @digitallydownld Ginny W: @ginnywoes Harvard L: @harvardliu
This week on the DDNet podcast, we take a break from video games to discuss Studio Ghibli and the impact that those amazing films have had on us.
And then we're right back to games, talking about games that kids and adults can enjoy equally, and then Final Fantasy VIII - the most underrated Final Fantasy of all? Quite possible!
Catch us on Twitter if you'd like, and thanks for tuning in!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Trent P: @trinest Piscilla: @cillah
This week on the DDNet podcast, we chat about DLC and fighting games - with it looking more and more like the genre is heading towards F2P and expanding rosters via DLC, what are our tolerance thresholds for these things.
Then we chat about that old chestnut - violence and game addiction, and in particular how the media portrays these things.
Finally, and to finish things off on a happier note, we chat about the resurgence in co-op gaming.
Come chat with us on Twitter if you'd like, and thanks for tuning in!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Alan M: @Trufflesss_
Amazingly enough, after one very busy February and March, April is shaping up to be something of a relief from the endless big releases. Still, there's a few gems in there, so we help highlight the titles you should be keeping an eye out for.
We also get a bit nostalgic in looking back at the games that convinced us to get really into video games in the first place. To write about games and spend a lot of time doing things like podcasts it needs to be more than a hobby to us, so we thought we'd have a chat about what really drove us to take our passion for games that far.
Finally, we have a great chat about Okami and why that game is not a "Zelda-clone" for a reason.
Find us on Twitter!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Matt C: @MC_Odd Ginny W: @ginnywoes Harvard L: @harvardliu
This week's podcast was an eclectic mix!
First up, we talked about Tomb Raider; the games, the movie, and the IP in general. It's been a busy couple of weeks for Lara and her adventures.
Then we talked about rhythm games, in light of DJ Max turning us a bit batty, and then Yakuza 0, as the world gears up to get stuck right in to Yakuza 6. What a game that was.
Thanks for tuning in! As always, catch us on Twitter if you'd like to chat!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Matt C: @MC_Odd Trent P: @trinest
Last week brought us a new Nintendo Direct, so of course we had to have a good chat about that. We also took a look at games that are "bad", in that they don't play well by conventional standards, but we love them anyway.
And for our in-depth look at a game, we have a chat about the original Life Is Strange, which remains one of the very best examples of storytelling in games that you can find.
Thanks as always for tuning in, and grab us on Twitter if you'd like!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Shaan J: @kneehighpark Harvard L: @harvardliu Matt C: @MC_Odd
See you next week!
The Nintendo Switch has been in our lives for one year now, so we take a look back at that year, and just amaze ourselves with just how good that console is.
We also have a chat about Square Enix's recent efforts to dip into its back catalogue - the new release of Chrono Trigger and the remaster of Secret of Mana, and try and figure out what's going so wrong there.
Finally, for our in-depth look at a game this week we have a chat about how much we love Bayonetta.
Catch us on Twitter, and thanks for tuning in!
Matt S: @digitallydownld Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Ginny W: @ginnywoes Matt C: @MC_Odd
Well, last week was a dramatic one in the games industry, what with Donald Trump suggesting that games cause the massacres over in the US (and not, you know, the guns).
So we have a chat about that, and the broader implications on how we should be talking about this kind of material in games. We also look at the (many) game releases that we're looking forward to in March, and take a close look at Danganronpa, as a masterpiece of visual novel design.
Enjoy! And chat with us on Twitter:
Matt S: @digitallydownld Ginny W: @ginnywoes Trent P: @trinest
It has already been an incredible year for fighting games, what with that Dragon Ball one, Dissidia, and niche stuff like Under Night and Slice, Dice & Rice. And Soul Calibur VI is just on the horizon! So we talk about that this week.
We also chat about realism in games and how it's probably not a good idea for developers to promise "realism" when that's impossible to deliver.
Finally, we take a close look at The Caligula Effect this week; a PlayStation Vita exclusive originally that was announced for a PlayStation 4 remaster last year. We do hope the game gets a second look this time around (if it gets localised at all).
Thanks as always for listening! Here's our Twitter accounts so you can drop in and say hello:
Matt S: @digitallydownld Alan M: @Trufflesss_ Tyler T: @tylertreese